HAJIME KOBAYASHI

AGE 54  I  NIZA, JAPAN  I  JAPAN
MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT

Tokyo-born Hajime Kobayashi makes his third Cliburn Amateur appearance this year, and, though he never received any formal piano training, his commitment to the artform extends to all areas of his life; he seriously and regularly works out at OrangeTheory to keep himself in shape so that he can “continue to brush up my piano performance for the next half century, pursuing the never-ending journey to reach ever higher levels.” A management consultant who holds both a Master of Engineering from the University of Tokyo and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan, Hajime is a partner at Gemini Strategy Group, which focuses on enhancing business values throughout the business lifecycle through talent development, innovation, and hands-on operation improvements. His broad array of academic interests include mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and architecture.